The Leader/Manager | How to be a Strong Leader

03 Jul The Leader/Manager | How to be a Strong Leader

Do you feel like your business or organization is stuck? Despite your best efforts, you’re not seeing progress. Maybe you feel like there isn’t much forward momentum and you feel your morale sinking down.

You wonder what’s wrong. You examine your product or service and everything seems to be fine. Next, you take a look at your employees and staff and see no need for change. No matter how hard you search, something is wrong. What is it?

The answer is simple, but you need to read this with an open mind. The problem may be you. You may not be providing the two elements only you can provide to ensure forward momentum in your business or organization. What are those elements?

Number one is leadership.

Number two is management.

Maybe you’ve always thought that leadership and management are the same. After all, if you’re a leader you know how to manage. And if you manage, you certainly know how to be a leader. However, this is simply not the case and if your business is functioning under this belief, things will continue to slide downhill.

If you want your organization to be successful, you must supply your people with both leadership and management. Both responsibilities are demanding in time and energy. I’m sure you already know that it takes a great deal of time and energy to be run your organization. Now it’s time to consider whether you are serving as both manager and leader.

What is a Leader?

A leader concentrates more on people than work. The leader moves people out of the limits of the traditional. He enables people to move into new areas of activity and achievement. He does this not by direct control, but through the relationship he has with his people. A leader is transformational.

Someone once said that leadership is essentially a “relationship between the leader and every member of the group he leads.” Leadership inspires people. Leaders make staff and employees want to work.

More people, less work

Enables transformation

Builds relationships

Offers inspiration

What is a Manager?

A manager concentrates more on work than on people. A manager also operates within established patterns and practices. He gets the job done by directing and guiding the work of others within the limits of those practices. A manager is transactional.

Management provides the means for stability, know-how, and sound planning in an organization. It enables people to reach the objectives inspired by leadership.

More work, less people

Has established practices

Directs and guides

Enables the reaching of goals

How to be a Strong Leader

There are two qualities that are always found in strong leaders.

The first is rapport.

A leader builds rapport with his people by identifying with them and them identifying with him. There is a reciprocal bond when this connection is felt by both leader and employee. This means that a leader must know his people. If he doesn’t know his people, it should be his mission to get to know them.

The leader should want to be aware of his people’s dreams, hopes, and feelings of inadequacy. The world’s greatest leaders enjoyed the devoted support of their followers. Why? Because they have identified with them.

The second is communication.

The leader should be able to communicate with members of the group as a group, as well as individuals. The follower must feel that his leader is listening to him and that he will get a fair hearing for his ideas, his fears, and his dreams.

In turn, the leader must be able to communicate to his followers a sense of hope and assurance. Communication takes time. Unless you’re willing to take the time to be with your people – to listen to them and speak to them – you will never really be their leader.

Therefore, to improve your position as a leader, you must improve your communication skills.

If you feel like your business is heading downhill – or even if you feel like you’re just not moving forward – it’s time to evaluate your skills as a leader and a manager. Begin by considering whether you’ve built rapport with your employees, and then move on to assessing your communication skills. Be honest with yourself.

Join us on Thursday for more information about how to be a strong manager so that you can win at this leader-manager duo!

Billy Epperhart

Hi Dennis, this is a great comment! One key distinguisher here is making sure that the work that needs to be done is properly identified in writing. This not only directs your employees, but by hearing their comments on it you can gauge how well they understand your direction. Thanks for your comment!

About

Billy’s titles are many – Entrepreneur, Real Estate Investor, Speaker, Coach, Author, Pastor, Philanthropist, Husband, Father, and Grandfather. After a brief stint in retirement, Billy Epperhart is returning to his passion of helping people reach their dreams through Wealthbuilders so that they can make an impact. He shares his wisdom weekly on the blog, at speaking events and coaching sessions, and through his three businesses.